Need help with 29 gallon, stocking!

SpunkyCheese13

SpunkyCheese13

AC Members
Apr 4, 2008
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My fiancé wants to get a fish that eats other fish. Our tank is 29gal rectangle. He wants and Oscar but everything says we would need a much bigger tank. Petsmart said one would be okay. We thought of Needle Nose Gar but that seems to need a bigger tank as well. Any suggestions for stalking the tank with a fish that eats other fish?
 
fancy guppies and mollies eat their babies and dead fish.
 
does it need to be fish?
because pufferfish gnaw up snails and shrimp pretty well this may not sound too bad but search pufferfish vs crayfish on youtoob and youle see what i mean
they do need special care requirements though so dont even think about buying one without a few gajillion hours on google first ok
red tail red eye
dwarf
green spotted
figure eight
these are some off the top of my head that fit in a 29

and in the future NEVER EVER EVER EVER trust petsmart staff for fish advice
 
just had another idea
leaf fish are ok in a 29 and they gobble up feeder fish they are alot esier than a puffer
ALOT esier than a puffer
 
If he wants oscar like "personality" with out the size, he might try an Electric Blue Hap(Sciaenochromis fryeri). They top out at 7 inches so a 29 should be okay if it is the only fish. The first thing I would look for would be an experienced hobbyist with an extra male.
 
No haps! They do best with their own kind and there just isn't enough room in a 29 gallon. A single one will not act like they normally do in groups, he may hide quite a lot and not show full color.
I think a leaf fish is your best bet for this sized tank.
 
I would think he would like a piranha tank best, but a 29 gallon tank is too small. You really need to breed your own feeders rather than buy the disease ridden goldfish from the store. Only a matter of time before you introduce parasites into your tank, some quite pesky like anchorworm, others deadly dangerous like Camallanus worms and gill flukes which are hard to get rid of.

Personally, I suggest making the 29 gallon tank a livebearer tank so you can breed your own feeders (mosquitofish are great, no heater required, very low maintenance) and getting a bigger tank for predatory fish. Since you were thinking of gars, maybe halfbeaks can be special ordered from your pet store?

You should be aware, also, that a diet of mostly other fish and things like shrimp, is very high in Thiaminase, an enzyme which destroys Vitamin B1 (Thiamine). Gut loading the fish helps, but only so much. Try supplementing with snails, small crayfish, earthworms, crickets, etc. Variety is the key.

If you're interested, here's a whole article that explains the Thiaminase issue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/thiaminase.htm
 
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